for old time's sake
by AGENT Kuma-chan
Summary: Despite Ororo's trappings, there was still a little bit of that street urchin in her, the child with enough guts to try to teach Gambit how to pickpocket.


**Title: **for old time's sake

**Prompt:** Ororo & gambit friendship

**A/N:** For supersonicsidekick, for the x-men exchange! So I didn't know these two had a friendship before this but now that I found out about Baby!Ororo and Gambit, that is the most precious thing and I have to find their comics. I hope you enjoyed this! (I'm not quite confident on my Ororo characterization…)

**Summary:** _Despite Ororo's trappings, there was still a little bit of that street urchin in her, the child with enough guts to try to teach Gambit how to pickpocket. _

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Slipping through the skylight, Remy landed noiselessly into the attic. Or maybe he should call it a greenhouse—with the amount of plants Ororo hosted in her room, he almost felt like he was outside again. The leafy foliage hid any traces of their owner, save for her soft humming and the quiet trickles as she watered them.

"Sneaking back from another crime?" Ororo asked and he tried not to jump. Of course she noticed. Maybe it was the slight chill that entered the room along with him or maybe her plants told her. He wouldn't put it past them, he'd seen stranger things.

"Ma reine, you wound me." Remy clutched his heart as he strolled deeper into the room, catching the briefest wisp of her long white hair and long yellow skirt. He pushed past a long leaf until he finally spotted her. "All I do is steal hearts now."

"And I just make it rain." Standing next to a leafy fern, Ororo snorted. Her blouse's sleeves were rolled up her arm, bunching around her elbow. Her long skirt swayed as she moved. "I'm not a queen anymore."

Not that anyone could tell by looking at her. Despite her back-alley origins, there was a natural poise to Ororo. Her posture was perfect, back straight, shoulders rolled back, head held high. Even her movements were filled with grace and she practically twirled from one plant to the other. He heard that she and Kitty used to go to dance classes together and he could see it, a fluidity that was impossible to unlearn. "I don't believe it. It is not something so easily lost."

"Does that charm ever turn off?" Ororo laughed, completely not buying it. She looked at him over her shoulder, eyebrow raised. "You're a better liar than that."

"Ah, but one does not lie to their friends," Remy replied with a Cheshire grin.

Amused, Ororo raised a brow and played along. "So we're friends?"

"Unless you want something more." He couldn't resist waggling his eyebrows. When her mouth pinched in disgust, denial on her lips, he held up a hand. "I cannot control my magnetism, madame, but I must refuse. I am a taken man."

A half-truth. He'd been around long enough to see romances fizzle out, to see love flicker out like a dying flame. Friendship outlasted it all and it was something he wouldn't risk for a whim. Besides, he liked what they had. There was a comfort in her attic, a haven that he'd thought he'd lost long ago. A level of bliss in listening to her talk, in having her hold his hand, and know that nothing more was expected, that nothing else was needed other than a warm smile.

"Rogue must have her hands filled with you." Ororo sighed, a hand on her hip. Despite her words, mirth coloured tone and she set down her watering can. "I'll pretend to believe you. Why're you here?"

He wondered if he could make her laugh again. It was a game with her, sometimes. To see how much of her inner child he could pull out. How far he could push before she reverted to a proper lady. Remy shrugged with a carefree smile. "To visit a friend, of course."

"At this time of night?" Ororo glanced up at her skylight. Beyond the small frame of glass, the stars gathered in the pitch dark sky. Turning back to him, she gestured at him. "And in that outfit?"

Remy glanced down at his clothes and winced. Well, that gave the game away. Perhaps he shouldn't have worn his usual thieving outfit and just changed into it after. "That obvious?"

"Completely." Ororo crossed her arms, her expression deadpan. "And I had to live through Logan's 'Patches' phase."

Ah. Well, that was certainly a memory. Jubilee still liked to wear an eyepatch on Halloween and ask Logan if he could recognize her. Perhaps Remy was losing his touch, spending so much time with the do-gooders of the world. Rubbing his neck, he just came clean. "I need your help."

"I suspect it's not the 'good' kind." Ororo frowned, her lips pursed. "Will this involve stealing?"

"Will it?" Remy mused, rubbing his chin. "It's not stealing, per se. I suppose you'll have to come and find out, ma chere."

Her frown grew deeper. "Remy."

"Fine, fine." Remy sighed, shoulders slumping dejectedly. "There's a vault full of very sensitive materials. Including Sentinel research. I thought we could just pop over and see what we could get." And perhaps help himself to some of the finer things in the safe, but he didn't have to reveal that.

"That…" Ororo paused, doubt colouring her voice. She bit her lip. "That would be most useful."

"The deaths we could prevent. The lives we'd save." Good. She was wavering. He gave a disappointed shrug. "If you're too rusty—"

"I'll do it," Ororo cut in aggressively. Was she angrier at him or at herself? Was it worse to know the trap or to be caught in it anyways? Despite her trappings, there was still a little bit of that street urchin in her, the child with enough guts to try to teach him how to pickpocket.

"Excellent. I'll see you on the roof for our midnight tryst, ma chere." Whistling, Remy strolled casually over to the skylight. A gust of wind pushed him up before he could jump and he winced. It was a little deserved, he had to admit.

Still, he couldn't stop the wide grin on his face, the way his pulse raced. It'd been a while since he'd slunk in the shadows himself, using all the tricks of his trade. Maybe they could make a contest out of it, for old times.

He liked to think he'd win.


End file.
